superintendent's Message:
Dr. Steven Adamowski

Dear Norwalk Families and Community Members,

Welcome to the 2017-18 school year! We are excited to have our students back, and we’re looking forward to another terrific year.

As we move into the start of the upcoming school year, I’m pleased to report that Norwalk Public Schools is making great progress towards our aim of Raising the Bar and Closing the Achievement Gap for all our students.

2016-17 was a year of change and innovation in Norwalk. Working together with teachers, administrators, families and the community, Norwalk Public Schools enhanced curriculum and expanded promising programs, added support for students who needed it the most, and tackled some long-standing structural issues, among other improvements. (Click here for a list of 2016-17 highlights.) While many of these initiatives are still in the early stages, we have already seen significant student growth. Some of the highlights from our districtwide results include the following:

One-third of Norwalk’s achievement gap in English Language Arts and Math has been closed, according to the latest Connecticut Smart Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test results.

More students are at grade level in reading and math than ever before, even as our district becomes more diverse.

Grades 6, 7 & 8 students led improvement in math with gains of 8.1%, 4.7% and 5.9% respectively.

63% of Norwalk students in grades K-11 made a year’s growth or more, exceeding national norms.

The achievement of Norwalk’s high needs students grew more than their typical peers and more than their statewide peers.

Norwalk’s English Language Learners now have a higher graduation rate than their statewide peers.

Norwalk’s 2016 four-year graduation rate of 90.5% exceeded the Connecticut state average of 87.4% for the second consecutive year.

While it is important to celebrate progress, we are already looking ahead to what’s next. For 2017-18, Norwalk Public Schools will continue to implement the strategies, systems and supports outlined in our Strategic Operating Plan, so that our schools and students keep progressing. As this school year opens:

The Silvermine Dual Language program, Columbus Bank Street program and Jefferson Science programs have been expanded with magnet school funding provided by the Board of Education and the City.

Fifteen new teaching positions have been added at the high school level to accommodate enrollment growth, enhance programs, and reduce study halls.

The nationally recognized “Teach-to-One” personalized math program at Nathan Hale Middle School has been expanded to Grade 7 and 8.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Brien McMahon High School offers its first Diplomate courses this year.

Norwalk Early College Academy (NECA) at Norwalk High will have its first graduates this year, with many who will receive both a high school diploma and a two-year college degree from Norwalk Community College.

At its annual retreat over the summer, the Norwalk Board of Education approved a series of priority outcomes and implementation steps for the 2017-18 school year that are directly aligned with the Strategic Plan’s six goals. Actions this year will build on the progress underway, and some new programs and projects will get started. For a full list of the 2017-18 outcomes and implementation steps, click on the links below for a printable PDF:

Finally, as you may know, earlier this year the City of Norwalk and Board of Education approved a historic investment in building new schools and renovating others. New schools planned for South Norwalk and Ponus Ridge are entering the architectural design phase this month. Norwalk students are fortunate to live in a growing, thriving city that values its children. It takes an entire community to help make sure every student receives a great education. Whether you currently have a student in our schools, or whether you’re a resident without school-aged children, your support matters a great deal. Thank you for helping our schools and the students they serve achieve our vision to become “the most successful city school system in Connecticut.”

Sincerely,

Dr. Steven Adamowski

Superintendent

Recent News

Sprint's 1Million Project to Connect Norwalk Public High School Students in the 2017-18 School Year

Posted on 12/05/2017

250 Students Will Receive a Free Device and Free Wireless Service in First Year of the Program.
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Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he is appointing Thomas S. Hamilton, Scott Jackson, and Jay Nolan to serve as his appointees on the state’s recently created Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB).
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Center for Global Studies Students Awarded Free Trip to Japan

Posted on 11/21/2017

22 CGS students will take an all expenses paid trip to Japan next month as part of a youth exchange program.
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Letter From Superintendent About ABC's American Housewife

Posted on 11/17/2017

Norwalk Public Schools recently became aware that a program on the Disney-owned ABC network, "American Housewife," repeatedly targets students in Norwalk with insults and derogatory comments. Set in Westport, the show includes Norwalk as the subject of many "jokes" about our community.
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NPS Launches Anonymous Alerts for Middle & High Schools

Posted on 11/16/2017

The app allows NPS high school and middle school students, parents and school personnel to anonymously report bullying, safety concerns, student depression, drug and alcohol issues, family problems, or other situations that may need attention by school officials.
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Norwalk Performs Well On Growth Benchmark Determined By The State

Posted on 11/16/2017

New Connecticut Smarter Balanced (SBAC) test results show NPS ranking first in Percent of Target Achieved (PTA) in English Language Arts (ELA) and math as compared to similar districts.
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Norwalk Public Schools has won the Bonnie B. Carney Award of Excellence for Educational Communications in the Social Media category for its official district Facebook page.
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Academically Talented & Gifted Redesign Committee Starts Work

Posted on 11/02/2017

The goal of the redesign is to develop a modern, innovative program for gifted students with an evidence-based model and highly trained staff.
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Celebrate Fitness At The Fun Run

Posted on 11/02/2017

Let your kids run wild! The NPS Physical Education Department and the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium invite all NPS students to celebrate fitness at the 27th annual Fun Run on December 2 at 10am.
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